Toronto faces lawsuits over plastic shopping bag ban

OTTAWA (AFP) - The Canada Plastic Bag Association on Tuesday joined a growing number of groups suing Toronto, Canada's largest city, to stop a proposed ban on plastic shopping bags.

The association said its members "have a substantial economic interest in the manufacture, supply, distribution and sale of plastic bags in Toronto and would, wholly and individually, be significantly impacted by the plastic bag ban."

It and other critics say the ban was approved on the fly without public consultations or study by municipal officials.

Council passed a surprise motion to ban plastic shopping bags in June after Toronto's mayor asked to get rid of a five cent charge for bags.